


511: Brittle

by harlequin (julie)



Series: Season 5 [11]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Episode: s05e11 The Drawing of the Dark, Infidelity, M/M, episode coda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-21
Updated: 2012-12-21
Packaged: 2017-11-21 22:24:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/602722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/harlequin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mordred has gone back to Morgana, and Merlin is frightened of what will happen next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	511: Brittle

**Author's Note:**

> Part of a series of episode codas that I hope will continue through the fifth season.
> 
> Apologies for being late with this instalment, but a holiday and work and Christmas and generally feeling overwhelmed all got in the way.

♦

It gave Merlin no satisfaction to be proved right. He felt none of the joy that had danced giddily through him when he discovered that Arthur, after a long night’s thought, had found his own path to the wisdom of giving the Druid girl a second chance. But Kara had proudly refused Arthur’s offer, and had gone to her death, and now Mordred had left Camelot – presumably to join forces with Morgana. This – this was a bleaker feeling altogether.

Arthur felt it, too. ‘I made a terrible mistake,’ he said, when there was no one else to hear.

‘I hope not,’ was all Merlin had in reply.

Merlin felt cold and distant, as if he were all hard brittle surface and hollow inside. It was safest that way, Merlin supposed. To keep his distance, to not let in the tormenting fear and swirling grief that might prove so strong as to destroy him. But Arthur seemed cold and distant, too, and weary – and that wouldn’t do at all.

His feet were icy shards on the stone floor, but Merlin stepped over to where Arthur sat, and lay a cold thin hand on Arthur’s shoulder.

Arthur immediately rose, and turned, and they held onto each other for a while – held on hard, faces turned away but pressed to each other’s shoulder. There was no warmth to it. But here was where it all began and ended for Merlin, with Arthur, and with the destiny they shared for good or ill.

Arthur perhaps found some comfort while crushed tight against Merlin, or at least some resolution. He held on harder still for a moment, the welcome pain of it stabbing Merlin through and restarting the blood in his heart. Heat seared through his frosty veins.

‘Come, my friend,’ said Arthur with gruff gentleness. ‘We must prepare for battle.’

♦


End file.
